Citywide Brownfields Program

Brownfields are real property (land), the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

For instance, the property or a near-by property may have been occupied in the past by a gas station, dry cleaners or other business, and hazardous or petroleum pollutants may have spilled onto the ground surface or leaked from buried underground tanks. These substances may still be present in the soil and/or groundwater, and need to be removed or treated before the site can be redeveloped for current uses.

The goal of the LA Sanitation's (LASAN) Brownfields Program is to assist in removing barriers to redevelopment posed by these brownfields throughout the City of Los Angeles, particularly in disadvantaged communities. These properties are usually vacant and often blighted, so their redevelopment contributes to urban and community renewal by transforming them into vibrant new commercial, residential, or recreational opportunities in the neighborhood.

Brownfields program staff work directly with property owners, community organizations, and City agencies to help them assess, clean up and revitalize brownfields sites. The Brownfields Program Manager collaborates with City Council offices and other City departments as appropriate depending on the particular project.

LA Sanitations's brownfields program is nationally-recognized - the City was selected in 1998 to be one of only 16 communities initially designated as Federal Brownfields Showcase Communities in recognition of its innovative approaches to brownfields development. Since that time, the Brownfields Program has received over $7 million in federal and state brownfields and related grants to conduct assessments and cleanups of brownfields sites.